Dance as a driver of mental wellbeing – impact study IKoon

Arnhem, 3 April 2026

The intensive dance project IKoon, a collaboration between Pro Persona, Introdans and Radboud umc, is experienced as highly valuable by clients. Recent research by Pro Persona, in collaboration with Radboud umc, shows that participants experience clear improvements during and after the dance week in mood, self-confidence, autonomy and social connectedness.

From patient to dancer: a meaningful shift in perspective
Pro Persona and Introdans organised the dance week IKoon in June 2025 for clients from Pro Persona’s TOPGGz centres: Overwaal, the Expertise Centre for Anxiety, OCD & PTSD, and the Expertise Centre for Depression. Over four days, clients worked with choreographer Adriaan Luteijn and the Introdans interaction team, leading up to a performance on day five, presented to family, friends and staff from Overwaal, the Expertise Centre for Depression, Radboudumc and Introdans. Adriaan Luteijn, besides being a choreographer also the artistic initiator of interaction & inclusion at Introdans, developed the concept for IKoon together with Lotte Hendriks and Gert-Jan Hendriks from Pro Persona.

During this week, participants were not seen as patients, but as dancers. Treatment was consciously placed in the background. The intensive dance sessions left little room for doubt. Space emerged for enjoyment, challenge and personal growth.

Marieke van ’t Hoff, managing director of Introdans:
“Dance is more than movement; it is a universal language that connects people and creates space for personal growth. With IKoon, we have seen how dance sets participants in motion not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. What makes it so powerful is letting go of labels such as ‘patient’ and embracing new identities, like ‘dancer’. These results confirm what we have known for years: dance has the ability to empower, connect and inspire. It is an honour to create this meaningful impact together with Pro Persona and Radboudumc.”

Research results: more positive mood, increased self-confidence
During the dance week, participants completed several short questionnaires measuring mood, energy, self-confidence and basic psychological needs such as autonomy, competence and relatedness. The results show a positive change at group level:

• Mood and self-confidence increased, with a peak immediately after the performance.
• Negative mood decreased throughout the week.
• Autonomy, competence and relatedness showed measurable growth in most participants.
• The intensive physical and social experience challenged participants to step outside their comfort zone, contributing to growth and renewed self-confidence.

Although there were differences between participants, almost everyone showed improvement directly after the performance.

Lasting effects: impact still visible after five months
In interviews conducted five months later, participants reflected positively on the experience. They especially mentioned:

• the social connectedness within the group
• the safe environment
• improved posture
• a greater sense of self-confidence
• the feeling of “not being a patient, but a dancer”

Stepping outside their comfort zone evoked a range of emotions, such as tension, exhaustion, confidence and joy. It gave participants valuable experiences that many carried into their daily lives.

An out-of-the-box approach with meaningful results
Lotte Hendriks, clinical psychologist specialist at Pro Persona:
“The research highlights that a non-therapeutic, creative and physical approach such as the IKoon dance project can make a meaningful contribution to the wellbeing of clients with mental health conditions. By approaching them outside the usual treatment context as dancers, space is created for growth, autonomy and connection. This can have a lasting effect on daily life.”